Chapter 249: Chapter 249: Fighting Ouyang Chen Again

The disciples present looked as if they had seen a ghost, utterly shocked by the sight of Ouyang Chen!

"I thought Ouyang Chen died in that explosion. How is he here?"

"Is he a man or a ghost?" The surrounding disciples stared in terror at Ouyang Chen’s savage expression, whispering amongst themselves. Shen Haoran, however, just frowned, his thoughts unreadable.

"What’s wrong? Surprised to see me?" Ouyang Chen asked, looking at Shen Haoran with a sinister smile playing on his lips.

Hearing this, Shen Haoran snorted coldly. "Surprised? A little, I’ll admit."

’Even though I knew Ouyang Chen wasn’t dead, I never expected him to show up in the Sect Secret Realm. And to think he’d conspire with Xue Gong to set a trap for me!’

"Shen Haoran, this time, no one is coming to save you. I will kill you with my own two hands!" Ouyang Chen declared, staring at Shen Haoran as faint black Qi rose around him, making his already savage face look even more terrifying.

"And this time, I’ll finish you for good. I won’t give you another chance to pull off a vanishing act!" Shen Haoran’s eyes narrowed, his voice cold and ruthless. ’Ouyang Chen severely wounded me during the Sect competition. This time, I’ll pay him back a hundredfold!’

"Brother Shen, you..." Shui Ruolan began, looking worriedly at the incredibly bizarre Ouyang Chen.

"This fight is unavoidable. Don’t worry. If I can crush him once, I can do it a second time," Shen Haoran said, knowing what Shui Ruolan was thinking and offering reassurance.

"Alright then. Brother Shen, please be careful," Shui Ruolan said softly. She then led the members of the Yao Sect to the side. However, the Yao Sect members didn’t let down their guard. They stared menacingly at Ouyang Chen, ready to charge forward the instant anything happened to Shen Haoran.

The other disciples, sensing the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere, quickly retreated to clear the area. Shen Haoran and Ouyang Chen had reached a point where one of them had to die. There was no need for words between them—it was a battle to the death.

"Die!" Ouyang Chen roared. His black robes billowed without any wind as countless streams of black Qi surged out, forming into black iron chains. They shot toward Shen Haoran, carrying a sharp gale. The piercing, Powerful Qi sliced through the surrounding air.

Seeing the ferocious assault of the black chains, the surrounding disciples trembled. To strike so viciously from the very beginning—it was clear Ouyang Chen’s hatred for Shen Haoran was no small thing.

But when Shen Haoran felt the sinister, cold aura coming from the chains, not only did he show no intention of dodging, but a cold smirk appeared on his face. ’Perhaps I was a little wary of Ouyang Chen before, but now that I see this black Qi surrounding him, I have no such concerns.’

The aura emanating from the black Qi was sinister and bone-chilling, as if it came from the Nine Netherworld. But one mustn’t forget that Shen Haoran possessed the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian—and a complete one at that. It was the most potent and Yang-aligned flame between heaven and earth, a natural counter to this kind of dark, cold Qi!

Shen Haoran took a deep breath. The Fire Spirit Black Obsidian slowly condensed in his hand, forming a massive Black Flame Giant Ruler. Then, he viciously swung it down at the black iron chains!

*CLANG...*

A crisp sound of metal striking metal rang out. Sparks flew, and a black mist billowed.

Then, Shen Haoran lifted the Black Flame Giant Ruler and shot forward, charging at Ouyang Chen!

Seeing Shen Haoran charging at him, Ouyang Chen snorted coldly. The black chains shot towards Shen Haoran from all directions like countless tentacles. However, Shen Haoran didn’t slow down. He swept the Black Flame Giant Ruler horizontally, severing all the incoming black chains. The Fire Spirit Black Obsidian clung to the chains and spread rapidly toward Ouyang Chen!

The Fire Spirit Black Obsidian truly was the bane of such sinister things. Under its corrosive power, the black Qi was utterly vulnerable, disintegrating the moment they came into contact.

Feeling the searing heat traveling up the black chains, Ouyang Chen frowned. He had no choice but to sever his connection to them.

"Hah!"

At the same time, Shen Haoran reached Ouyang Chen, raised the Black Flame Giant Ruler in his hands, and smashed it down fiercely!

Feeling the scorching gale from above, Ouyang Chen’s pupils constricted. The black Qi in his hands rapidly condensed into a jet-black shield, which he held up in front of him. The next moment, the Black Flame Giant Ruler came crashing down!

*BOOM!*

A tremendous force traveled through the black shield, instantly numbing Ouyang Chen’s arm and robbing it of feeling. In the next instant, the shield shattered. The residual Powerful Qi from the Black Flame Giant Ruler slammed into Ouyang Chen, sending him flying. His feet scraped along the ground for several dozen meters before he managed to stop.

"Weren’t you going to make me pay? Is this all the strength you have?" Shen Haoran taunted, looking at Ouyang Chen with a cold laugh.

Rubbing his numb arm, Ouyang Chen said sinisterly, "Don’t get cocky. Soon enough, you’ll be the one begging for mercy!" With that, Ouyang Chen began forming a Seal Technique with his hands. The black Qi inside his body started to churn before erupting outwards, enveloping half of the grand hall.

"Ten Thousand Demons Soul-devouring Array, activate!"

Ouyang Chen bellowed. The black Qi filling the hall seemed to answer a summons, surging to envelop Shen Haoran.

*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

With a series of thunderous rumbles, the black mist solidified into pillars that slammed into the ground around Shen Haoran. In the blink of an eye, a cage formed from black Qi appeared before everyone, imprisoning Shen Haoran within.

"What... what is that thing?" The crowd trembled as they stared at the black Qi cage imprisoning Shen Haoran. They could feel an aura of death from it—sinister and cold, stirring a deep sense of unease within them.

’The Sect Leader will be alright, won’t he?’ The members of the Yao Sect worried. They all turned their gazes to Shen Haoran inside the prison.

At that moment, Shen Haoran frowned, watching the black Qi swirling around him. He raised the Black Flame Giant Ruler in his hand and smashed it against the cage!

*CLANG!*

With a sharp ring, the Black Flame Giant Ruler failed to even budge the black Qi. Instead, it shattered under the powerful rebound force, disintegrating into a shower of sparks.

"Hmph! Once you’re inside the Ten Thousand Demons Soul-devouring Array, you’re dead, even if you were God Almighty himself!" Ouyang Chen sneered. He then formed another Seal Technique and shouted, "Ten thousand demons, emerge! Soul Devourer, begin! Shen Haoran, die!"

*Wooooo...*

*ROAR...* 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

As Ouyang Chen’s voice faded, the black Qi within the cage churned. The air filled with countless demonic shrieks and beastly howls. The black Qi began to coalesce, forming bizarre, grotesque monsters that wailed as they charged at Shen Haoran. In an instant, Shen Haoran was completely surrounded...